A consortium comprising BYD, MKX Technologies, and Zhidao Network Technology has secured a contract from Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) to launch autonomous buses for public service operations starting in the second half of 2026. The pilot phase will introduce six driverless buses on routes 191 and 400, with plans to expand to up to 150 autonomous vehicles as part of a phased rollout.
The project aims to complement existing bus operations and address manpower shortages by maintaining routes with lower ridership and enabling new services. The autonomous buses—expected to be similar to BYD’s J6 model launched in Kyoto in 2021—will feature a compact six-meter design suited for Singapore’s dense urban areas. Equipped with cameras, radar, LiDAR, and remote-operation systems, the vehicles will undergo rigorous testing under LTA supervision. The initial phase will include a safety operator onboard before transitioning to remote monitoring.
This marks a major milestone in Singapore’s public transport innovation, positioning it among the early adopters of driverless public bus operations. BYD and Zhidao have prior experience deploying autonomous buses across Japan, Hong Kong, and multiple Chinese cities, demonstrating proven safety records in mixed-traffic environments. The LTA contract signals Singapore’s strategic move toward automated, efficient, and sustainable urban mobility.
